April is a good time to examine that
question—it’s Stress Awareness Month,
sponsored by The Health Resource Network
(
stresscure.com), a national nonprofit
health education organization.

Stress is a state of mental or emotional
strain or tension resulting from adverse or
very demanding circumstances. It can cause
memory problems, inability to concentrate,
depression, moodiness, anxiety, chest pain,
rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, indigestion, isolation from others, lack of sleep
or sleeping too much, and increased absenteeism, low productivity and low efficiency
at work.

Recognizing stress is the first step in
reducing it. Here are some stress-avoidance
tips, courtesy of
WebMD.com.

; Manage your time by prioritizing
what’s important and/or necessary to you.
Good time management can make your life
easier and less stressful.

; Look at your lifestyle to find the right
balance between personal, work and family
needs. And look at other aspects of your life,
including getting enough sleep, eating right
and exercising.

; Get support from your family, friends
and community. These people can offer love
and advice, as well as something more concrete, like time or money.

; Change your thinking to avoid negative thoughts. How you think can have a big
impact on how you feel. And learning effective problem-solving techniques can help
you identify the things you can change and
deal with the things you can’t.

Experts also suggest another stress
reducer: Get a pet! Pets can help to reduce
or even control o wners’ overall stress level.
This, in turn, can enhance their health.

The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health have conducted heart-related
studies on pet owners. The CDC says that
pet owners exhibit lower blood pressure,
cholesterol and triglyceride levels—all of
which can minimize the risk of having a
heart attack. —Bill Urlevich